Knitting mechanism



H. E. HOUSEMAN KNITTING MECHANISM Filed Aug. 8, 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet l W/m Ess:

Dec. 26, 1933. H. E. HO USEMAN' KNITTING MECHANISM Filed Aug. 8, 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 4/ @Ms ms 3-0 H, HOUSEMAN 1,941,091

KNITTING MECHANISM Dec 2 6, 1?

E iled Aug. 8, 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet s Dec. 26, 1933. H. E. HOUSEMAN KNITTING MECHANISM Filed Aug. 8, 1930 4 She'ets-Sheet 4 A 7 1, MM

Patented Dec. 26, 1933 res AENT oFFIcE Application August 8, 1930. Serial No. 473,849

8 Claims. (Cl. 66-135) This invention relates to a knitting machine and specifically to a machine in which fingers are provided to wrap yarns about needles, certain phases of the invention relating to the proper control of this wrapping operation.

In the production of wrap effects by causing fingers to present yarns to the needles so that they are stitched into the fabric together with the main yarn to produce striped or figured efiects, it is customary to render the wrap fingers inoperative during the formation of the heel and toe of hosiery, or at such other times in the operation of the machine when it may be desired to eliminate the production of stripes or figures. In the formation 'of the foot, it is desirable, in order to retain proper appearance when the hosiery is worn with low shoes, to con tinue the wrap pattern over the top of the foot.

On the other hand it is desirable to discontinue the pattern at the bottom of the foot.

It is one object of the invention to accomplish the result just outlined in a relatively simple fashion without undue modification of the standard machine.

It is a further object of the invention to tie up this mechanism with the needle leveling mechanism in a simplified manner.

In machines in which the stitch cams and associated parts are rotated about a stationary circle of needles, it is difficult to control the operations of the parts. It is another object of the invention to provide simple means for effecting the control of such operations. More specifically it is the object of one phase of the invention to provide a unitary mechanism for eifecting control of both the lowering picker and a switch cam.

Further objects of the invention relating particularly to advantageous details of construction, will be apparent from the following description read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is an elevation, partly in section, of the {5 parts of a machine embodying the invention adjacent the top of the needle cylinder;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the various cams and other parts associated wtih the needles;

Fig. 3 is a section on the plane indicated by 0 line 3-3 in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a developed view of the knitting cams; o

Fig. 5 is a developed view of the parts associated with the lowering picker and switch 5 cam;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5 showing the parts in a different position;

Fig. 7 is a section on the plane indicated by 7 in Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic view showing certain controlling cams and explanatory of the operation; and

Fig. 9 is a diagrammatic view of a stocking illustrating various phases of the operation.

The features of the invention are illustrated as embodied in a knitting machine comprising a stationary needle cylinder and in which the supply of knitting yarn is-rotated for the presentation of the yarn to the needles. While a machine of this type is desirable when it is desired c to control the formation of a pattern by manipulation of a large number of wrap fingers, since the supplies of yarn for the fingers may be stationary, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various features of the invention may be equally well applied to rotary needle machines.

The machine which is shown is of the type illustrated in my applications Serial Nos. 422,818 and 427,709, filed, respectively, January 23,1930 and February 12, 1930, the mechanism of either of these applications being used to impart shogging movements to the wrap fingers. The machine also embodies the wrap finger controlling mechanism illustrated and claimed in the application of Stanley R. Shelmire, Serial No. 469,056, filed July 19, 1930.

Referring specifically to the drawings, there is illustrated at 2 a stationary needle cylinder of usual construction provided with vertical slots in which long butt needles 4 and short butt needies 5 are reciprocated in the conventional knitting wave by suitable'rotating cams, other ro a ing cams serving -to operate the cooperating sinkers slidably mounted in the stationary sinker dial 6. A rotating latch ring 12 serves to guide the main yarn or yarns 16 to the needles, the yarn passing through slot 14 therein. This latch ring, together with the cams and other rotating parts, is carried by the cam ring 8,

driven in the usual manner through a gear 10 by suitable mechanism to rotate during the formation of (the leg and foot of hosiery and to oscillate during the formation of the heel and toe.

Above the needle cylinder is the wrap finger cylinder 18 carried by the spindle 20 which is both slidably mounted in the frame, so that the fingers 16 may be lifted out of cooperation with the needles, and also rotatably mounted therein so that the fingers may be shogged to cooperate with various needles with the resultant production of elaborate patterns. The arrangement whereby lifting and shogging of the cylinder is effected may be of the type illustrated in my applications above mentioned. A bracket 22 serves toguide and form a bearing for the fiange provided at the upper end of cylinder 18 to maintain the wrap fingers 24 in proper relationship with their actuating mechanism as described in the Shelmire application referred to above. The wrap fingers, provided with suitable thread eyes, are oscillatably mounted in the usual fashion in slots in cylinder 18 being held in position by a retaining spring band. To procure very elaborate designs there may be as many threaded fingers as there are needles. Generally, however, there will be a smaller number in operation, certain fingers being either absent or unthreaded.

Each of the wrap fingers 24 is provided with a series of butts 26 selected ones of which may be broken out according to the usual practice for the production of designs. Adapted to cooperate with the butts are cams 28 in the form of a series of levers, corresponding in number to the number of butts. These cams are moved selectively against the action of springs 36 into position to engage the butts 26 by butts carried by a trick wheel 30 which is intermittently stepped around by a pawl 34 which cooperates with a ratchet 32 thereon. The cam levers 28 are pivoted on an upright common pin carried by a lever 38 which is positioned by a cam 40 to move all of the levers together to inoperative position or locate them so as to act on the wrap fingers as may be determined by the butts on the trick wheel. The cam 40 is carried by the upper end of a shaft 42 carrying a follower lever 44 having a pin and slot connection with another follower lever 46 located in a lower plane. The trick wheel, lever 38, shaft 42 and lever 46 are all carried by a bracket 9 mounted on cam ring 8.

The levers 44 and 46, and also a follower serving to actuate pawl 34, are acted upon by a disc 45 slidable vertically in a fixed part of the frame against the action of a spring by a lever 47 which is under the control of a pattern chain. All of this mechanism here outlined is more fully described and claimed in the Shelmire application mentioned above to which reference may be made for a more complete description. This mechanism is referred to herein since, as will be later appreciated, it is explanatory of certain features of operation of the mechanism claimed herein.

The lever 38, which carries cam levers 28, also carries a wrap finger return cam 48.

In order to move the needles through the proper wave to effect the formation of stitches there are provided cams carried by the cam ring 8 and adapted to cooperate with the needle butts. These cams include the stationary cams 50, 52, 54, 56, 58 and 60 and the movable cams 62, 64 and 66. These cams are shown in operative positions, developed and diagrammatically, in Fig. 4. In this figure the zones at which various events in the wave occur are designated: at 68 clearing of the latches by the loops occurs, the needles being raised for this purpose; at 70 wrapping takes place; at 72 the needles take the yarn 16; and at 74 the previously formed loops are cast off.

Taking up first the mounting of cam 64, reference to Figs. 2 and 3 will show this cam as carried by a slide 76 radially movable in a member carried by the cam ring 8. The slide is urged inwardly to bring the cam 64 into its operative position by a spring 78. An adjustable contact screw 80 is carried by the outer end of the slide. A member 82 rigidly carried by the slide has two steps 84-and 86 adapted to engage a pin 88 car ried by a lever 90 pivoted to the bracket 92 and urged in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in plan, by a spring 94. An adjustable contact screw 96 is carried by the lever.

An arcuate cam 98 is carried by the upper end of a lever 99 pivoted to the frame of the machine at 100 and having a cam following end 102 arranged to cooperate with cams on the main cam disc of the machine as will be described later. The cam 98 may engage either contact 80 or'96, or may pass freely between them.

The slide 76 carries an abutment 104 which may engage the screw 106 threaded in an arm 108 pivoted on bracket 92 at 110 and urged by a spring 112 to a position, determined by a stop 116, in which the lever 108 and cam 62 is in its active position. If at this time the slide 76 is in its innermost position, the abutment I04 is spaced from screw 106 so that the slide may move to some extent outwardly without moving the cam 62.

The cam 66 is carried by a slide 118 similar to slide 76 and also mounted similarly for radial movement. This slide, however, is provided with an element 119 having but one step 120 engageable by a pin 122 on lever 124 which is urged in a clockwise direction by a spring 126. The lever 124 and slide 118 carry abutment screws 128 and 130 respectively adapted to cooperate with cam 98.

Raising pickers 132 and 134 of the usual type extend inwardly above cams 64 and 66 as illustrated.

A pivoted lowering picker 136 is also carried by the cam ring 8. Extending above this picker is the end of a lever 138 pivoted at 140 to an upstanding bracket and urged by a spring 142 to bring an adjustable follower screw 144 carried" thereby into engagement with either cam surface 146 or 148 on a sliding block 150. As shown in Fig. 7 the block 150 is guided for arcuate sliding movement by engagement with an arcuately grooved member 152 fixed to the cam ring 8. Pivoted at 156 to the block 150 is a member 154 which is acted on by a spring 158 urging it in a clockwise direction to a limiting position, determined by the upper surface of ring 8, at which time a pin 160, carried by a bracket 162, extends directly over its upper surface and, as shown in Fig. 6, prevents any counter-clockwise movement. The upper surface is provided with a depression 164. The member 154 is held downwardly by spring 158 to maintain its end extending through a slot in the ring 8 whereby cam surface 166 or either shoulder 168 or 170 formed thereon may engage the upper end of a pin 172 if the pin is raised against the action of spring 174 by cams 176, 178, 180, 182, 184 or 186 carried by the main cam disc 175. The pin 172 is slidable in a fixed part of the machine frame and occupies the position shown in Fig. 2 relative to the cam 98. v

A pin 188 engages either the end of block 150 or rides on its surface 146, being carried by a shaft 190 mounted in bracket 162 and carrying the switch cam 192. A pin 194 extending through a slot 196 in the bracket efiects inward or outward sliding movement of the shaft during its rotation and limits its extreme positions under the action of spring 198.

As is usual, there are two series of needles having long and short butts, respectively, each extending halfway about the circle. The long butt needles are adapted to form the front of the stocking and the short butt needles the back.

The main cam disc 175 carries, besides the other usual cams, two concentrically arranged series: one consisting of cams 176-186 adapted to act on plunger 172, and the other consisting'of cams 200, 202, 204, 206 and 208 adapted to act on the follower lever 102 (Fig. 3). These series are illustrated diagrammatically in Fig. 8 in which they are shown in developed form relatively displaced about 180 so as to bring those portions acting at the same time into vertical alignment. Their actual positions are, of course, such as to produce properly timed operations or plunger 1'72 and follower lever 102 which are approximately diametrically opposite each other. The successive zones relative to the cams occupied simultaneously by the plunger and follower lever are designated in Fig. 8 by letters. The periods in the formation of the stocking are correspondingly designated in Fig. 9. The wrap design is illustrated in a simple and conventional manner at z in Fig. 9, it being understood, of course, that the wrap design normally produced by the machine is of elaborate character.

In the operation of the machine, assuming the formation of the leg portion of a. stocking, the plunger 172 and lever 102 will rest on the cam surface in zone a. The block 150 will occupy the position shown in Fig. 6, lever 138 being removed from picker 136 which will be in raised position, and switch cam 192 being raised. Slides 76 and 118 will be in their inner positions and accordingly cams 62, 64 and 66 will also be in their innermost positions. Accordingly, both the long and short butt needles are operating, the butts following the path indicated by the dash line to. At this time the cam will be positioned to hold I lever 38 so that the cam levers 28 and the return cam 48 cooperate with the wrap fingers, the trick wheel 30 being stepped around under the action of the pawl 34 which is operated according to the positions of the disc which occupies its two upper positions selectively under the action of a pattern chain. During this period the picker 132 rides on the needle butts in the, usual manner. The wrapping of yarns about needles by the wrap fingers takes place as they move upwardly over cam es.

It is desirable to stop the wrapping at the rear of the stocking while continuing wrapping at the front prior to the formation of the heel. To eflect this, cam disc 175 moves to bring zone 12 into operation whereupon cam 200 moves the cam 96 outwardly to engage screw-82. (In the position determined by cam 200, screw 130 is not engaged.) As a result slide 76 is moved outwardly so that pin 88 may engage step 84. Immediately after this operation cam disc 175 is again moved to bring zone c into operation and permitting follower lever 102 to drop upon cam 202 which holds cam 98 in an outer position but not so far out that it will engage screw upon subsequent revolutions of the cam disc 8. This is for the purpose of preventing wear and the objectionable noise which would occur if engage ment occurred during each revolution.

The position in which the cam 64 now rests is such that it will engage the long butt needles,

which continue to follow path w, but will not en gage the short butt needles the butts of which accordingly follow dotted path 2/ across the inner face of the cam without engagement thereby. By reason of the fact that they are not now raised, they will not take the yams from the wrap fingers. The wrap pattern therefore stops at this time. The outward movement of slide 76 to the extent just outlined will not withdraw the cam 62 because of the clearance between 104 and 106.

Simultaneously with the change from rotation to oscillation various events occur. The cam disc 175 moves to bring zone it into operation. This causes cam 176 to act on plunger 172 moving it upward to the limit of its stroke. During the forward movement of cam ring 8 prior to its reversal, it carries the cam surface 166 of element 165 into engagement with the plunger. Since the element 165 is restrained from pivoting upward by pin 160 it is held back during continued movement of the cam ring and parts fixed thereto until depression 16% passes beneath pin 160 whereupon element 165 pivots upwardly clearing pin 172 and then dropping into its original position under the action of spring 158. The relative movement of slide 150 and the cam ring as the slide is thus retarded, will cause follower 144 to ride upon surface 148 and follower 188 to ride upon surface 146.

The switch cam 192 will accordingly move downwardly and outwardly, due to the action of pin 194 in slot 196, and all of the long butt needles will be raised to inactive position, the short butt needles remaining active. Picker 132 will drop into the gap in the line of butts left by the movement of the long butt needles so as to be ready for actibn.

It will be recalled that heretofore picker 136 was in upper position where it was inactive because of the absence of raised needles. It is now necessary for a time to maintain it inactive while there are raised needles and accor m lever 138 acts, in riding on cam 148, to lower it to an inactive level between the levels of the butts of the active and inactive needles.

Simultaneously with the above disc 45 will have been lowered by a cam not shown on the cam disc to be engaged by lever dd whereby the cam levers 28 are thrown out of action as a unit. t the same time the follower lever 102 rides ofi am 202 upon the cam disc whereby cam 98 moves into position to engage screw 96 tripping the latch and permitting cam 64 to move inwardly against any butts which y at the time be in its path and then to move further to its operative position upon its passage therebeyond. Since the wrap fingers are all inoperative at this time, owing to the withdrawal of cam levers 28, the reactivation of cam 64 will not at this time produce any wrapping action.

a diately after the action of pin 172 on element 165 is completed, the disc 175 again turns bringing zone e to active position and permitting the pin to drop out of the path of 165.

The oscillation of the w. now proceeds with will Silt

lid-ll the operation of pickers 132 and 13a to take the needles out of action one at a time thereby effecting the narrowing for the heel.

When the narro is completed, the disc 175 again moves bringing zone f to operative position and causing cam 178 to raise plunger 172 to an intermediate position at a time when element 165 is to its left as viewed in Fig. 5. As the ring 8 moves to the right during its oscillation, the shoulder rides over pin 172 'but the shoulder res engages it whereupon the block 150 is re strained and foliower 144 slides from surface 148 upon surface 146. The stroke of block 150 relative to the ring 8 is'only partial because the os= cillation limit is reached shortly after engageoperation. The cam 208, higher than cams 200 ment of the pin 1'72 by shoulder 168. As a result, pin 188 does not ride off the end of surface 146, remaining thereon to hold the switch cam 192 lowered.

The withdrawal of lever 138 from picker 136, as it rocks, permits the picker to rise to its operative position whereupon it commences to restore the inactive needles to active position two at a time while the pickers 132 and 134 continue to raise them one at a time in the usual fashion. The widening of the heel pocket is thus accomplished. Immediately after the action of the pin 172 on 168, the cam disc 1'75 again moves so that the pin drops from cam 1'78 in zone 9. The pin could, of course, be kept in its partially raised position since so long as oscillation continued it would effect no further result.

At the end of the widening operation, disc 175 again moves causing cam 180, in zone h, to ride under pin 1'72. When this occurs pin 1'72 is again moved to its uppermost position so that shoulder 1'70 engages the pin during the last oscillation of the cam ring. Since 1'70 is in advanace of 168, it will be seen that the block 150 will be moved further rearwardly relative to the cam ring to the extreme end of its stroke, whereupon follower 188 drops off surface 146 and the switch cam 192 I is raised, moving inwardly so that during the next reverse movement (the first rotation) all of the long butt needles and any of the short butt needles which remain raised will be lowered to active position.

As soon as the pin 172 performs its function of retarding the block 150, the disc 1'75 again moves bringing zone 2 to operative position. Pin 1'72 drops off cam 180. At the same time cam 204, of the same height as cam 200, rides under lever 102, producing retraction of cam 64 so as to again render the short butt needles inoperative to take yarns from the wrap fingers.

Simultaneously with this action, the disc 45 assumes a position in the path of lever 46 where by the cam levers 28 are again restored to activity. As a result the wrap pattern continues on the top of the foot from the point when it left off at the beginning of the oscillations. On the other hand the pattern is omitted from the bottom of the foot.

As soon as pin is acted upon by cam 98, the disc 1'75 moves another step to bring zone 1 into activity, the cam 206 performing the same function as cam 202. This position is maintained during the knitting of the foot.

At the completion of the foot and at the change from rotation to oscillaifin, the same operations are repeated as took place at the formation of the heel pocket; that is, zones is, Z, m, n, and 0 move successively into action, the results being the same as those effected by zones d, e, f, g, and h. The cam levers 28 are rendered inoperative at a corresponding time.

After'the completion of the toe, the disc 1'75 again moves bringing zone. p into operation. This permits pin 1'72 to drop. Rotation occurs during this period with the formation of plain courses, the fingers being inoperative due to continued retraction of cam levers 28, the trick wheel idly stepping around to the beginning-of the pattern in the manner fully described in the said Shelmire application.

After the knitting of the plain courses and just prior to the stopping of the machine, the leveling operation takes place. This is effected by the movement of cam disc 175 to bring zone q into and 204, moves cam 98 outwardly so that it is engaged by both follower screws 80 and 130. By its action on the first, it retracts slide '76 so that pin 88 engages step 86. In this extreme position, both cams 62 and 64 are moved outwardly so as to fail to engage both the long and short needle butts. Likewise cam 66 is fully retracted and is held by engagement of pin 122 with step 120. As a result, the circle of needles is leveled so that the knitted stocking may be removed and a ribbed top placed on the needles for attachment to the next stocking.

At the beginning of the next stocking, the disc 1'75 again moves bringing zone a into operation. This permits cam 98 to move inwardly tripping both latches and 124 whereupon the cams 62, 64 and 66 drop against the needle butts, moving fully inwardly to operative position as the long butts come around in the usual fashion. At the same time the cam levers 28 are restored to operative condition for the beginning of the pattern.

While the invention has been described in its application to a machine having a stationary circle of needles and rotating and oscillating knitting cams, it will be obvious that the features thereof may be readily applied to machines having stationary cams and a rotating circle of needles without departing from the spirit of the invention. It will also be obvious that numerous details of construction may be changed within the scope of the invention.

What I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:--

l. A knitting mechanism including a circle of latch needles, including both long and short butt needles, and devices cooperating therewith to form stitches, wrap fingers, a carrier supporting the wrap fingers, means for actuating the wrap fingers to cause them to carry yarns about needles, a cam operative in one position to act on both long and short butt needles to raise them into positions to receive yarns from wrap fingers, movable to another position in which it is operative to act only on long butt needles to move them as stated, and movable to still another position in which it fails to act upon any of the needles, a second cam normally positioned to act on the needles to raise them so that loops thereon clear the latches when the first mentioned cam is in either of its first two positions and connections between the cams whereby the second cam is moved to an inoperative position when the first cam occupies its third position.

2. A knitting mechanism including a circle of latch needles, including both long and short butt needles, and devices cooperating therewith to form stitches, a cam operative in one position to raise both long and short butt needles, movable to another position in which it is operative to raise only long butt needles, and movable to still another position in which it fails to act upon any of the needles, a second cam normally positioned to act on the needles to raise them so that loops thereonclear the latches when the first mentioned cam is in either of its first two positions and connections between the cams whereby the second cam is moved to an inoperative position when the first cam occupies its third position.

3. A knitting mechanism including a circle of needles and devices cooperating therewith to form stitches, a slide movable towards or from the needle circle, a cam carried by the slide and adapted to act on the butts of needles in the circle, a latch member, a plurality of stops carried by 150 the slide, a spring normally urging the slide inwardly, and a cam movable to a plurality of positions in one of which it engages the slide to move it outwardly so that the latch member may engage one of the stops, in another of which it engages the slide to move it outwardly so that the latch member may engage another of the stops, and in still another of which it trips the latch member to thereby release the slide, a lever and a cam carried by the lever and adapted to act on the butts of needles in the circle, the lever being engaged by the slide when in its outermost position to hold the last cam in inoperative position. a

4. A knitting mechanism including a stationary circle of needles, and devices cooperating therewith to form stitches, certain of said devices being carried by a movable supporting element, driving means for producing successive rotation and oscillation of the supporting element about the needles, said devices carried by the supporting element including a slide, and a member arranged to occupy selected fixed positions adapt: ed to be engaged by the slide during both forward and backward movements of the supporting element whereby relative movement between the slide and supporting element occurs and pattern mechanism for causing said member to occupy such positions.

5. A knitting mechanism including a stationary circle of needles, and devices cooperating therewith to form stitches, certain of said devices being carried by a movable supporting element, driving means for producing successive rotation and oscillation of the supporting element about the needles, said devices carried by the supporting element including a slide, and a member arranged to occupy selected fixed positions adapted to be engaged by the slide during both rota tion and backward oscillation of the supporting element whereby relative movement between the slide and supporting element occurs and pattern mechanism for causing said member to occupy such positions.

6. A knitting mechanism including a circle of needles and devices cooperating therewith to form stitches, two slides movable towards or from the needle circle, two cams, one carried by each of the slides and adapted to act on the butts of needles in the circle, two latch members, one associated with each slide, stops carried by the slides, springs normally urging the slides inwardly, and a cam movable to a plurality of positions in one of which it engages one only of the slides to move it outwardly so that its latch member may engage a stop to hold it in an intermediate position, in another of which it successively engages the slides to move them outwardly so that the latch members may engage the stops to hold the slides in outer positions, and in a third of which it successively trips the latch members to thereby release the slides.

7. A knitting mechanism including a circle of latch needles, including both long and short butt needles, and devices cooperating therewith to form stitches, wrap fingers, a carrier supporting the wrap fingers, means for actuating the wrap fingers to cause them to carry yarns about needles, a cam forming one of the usual stitch cam set and functioning as a stitch cam during reciprocatory knitting, said cam also being operative during rotary knitting in one position to act on both long and short butt needles to raise them into positions to receive yarns from wrap fingers, movable to another position in which it is operative to act only on long butt needles to move them as stated, and movable to still another position in which it fails to act upon any of the needles, a second cam positioned to act on the needles to raise them so that loops thereon clear the latches, said second cam being located in advance of and closely adjacent to said stitch cam, and means for lowering needles after they are raised by the second cam and before they are acted'upon by said stitch cam.

8. A knitting machine including a circle of latch needles, including both long and short butt needles, and devices cooperating therewith to form stitches, wrap fingers, a carrier supporting the wrap fingers, means for actuating the wrap fingers to cause them to carry yarns about needles, a cam forming one of the usual stitch cam set and functioning as a stitch cam during reciprocatory knitting, said cam also being operative during rotary knitting to act on needles to raise them into positions to receive yarns from wrap fingers, a second cam positioned to act on the needles to raise them so that loops thereon clear the latches, said second cam being located in advance of and closely adjacent to said stitch cam, and means for lowering needles after they are raised by the second cam and before they are acted upon by said stitch cam.

HAROLD E. HOUSEMAN. 

